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Thread: Wista 45 DX ruler markings on front standard/rail? How to best design and apply?

  1. #1

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    Wista 45 DX ruler markings on front standard/rail? How to best design and apply?

    I would like to add "ruler markings" to aid in calculating front standard extension, which would allow for calculating focus draw (eg for objects in foreground and background, then setting the middle for hyperfocaldistance). I am having some trouble figuring out exactly how to do this since there does not seem to be much space/exposed surfaces. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to best apply this?

  2. #2

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    Re: Wista 45 DX ruler markings on front standard/rail? How to best design and apply?

    Instead of adding continuous ruler markings on the wood you can use just something as simple as 2 dots on the wooden parts. Then use an external ruler (a stripe) to measure the distance between those 2 dots.

  3. #3

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    Re: Wista 45 DX ruler markings on front standard/rail? How to best design and apply?

    But the dots would continuously change no?

  4. #4

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    Re: Wista 45 DX ruler markings on front standard/rail? How to best design and apply?

    Their distance would change - that's what you want to measure, if I understand it correctly? You can have different rulers for different purposes too.

  5. #5
    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Re: Wista 45 DX ruler markings on front standard/rail? How to best design and apply?

    Here is how I do it "in real life" with a Shen Hao 8x10 and no markings (way more complicated to explain than to do ).

    I place my thumbnail on the moving part and focus on the distant point, allowing the camera base to push my thumbnail along as it abuts the non-moving base of the camera. Then I keep the thumbnail fixed right on that same spot and I focus on the near point. Then, without moving my thumbnail, I get out of the dark cloth and I can see the distance between my thumbnail and the camera base. Then I just 'eyeball' the distance to get the f-stop and I also just 'eyeball' the middle point, racking the focus back as I watch the distance between my thumbnail and the camera base close up. This estimation method works good enough when you realize that the math is only 'exact' if you are forcing your viewer to be a certain prescribed distance from the print.

  6. #6

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    Re: Wista 45 DX ruler markings on front standard/rail? How to best design and apply?

    On my two Tachiharas I cut about a one foot length of cloth mm measuring tape like you can buy at any fabric store and taped it with double-sided Scotch tape along the top of the left hand rail (I think it went right over the cm ruler that's already on Tachiharas but it's been a while), then put a piece of single-sided Scotch tape over the measuring tape to protect it. I also cut a small cardboard pointer and taped it to the front standard at a place where it could be used to measure the distance the front standard moved when focusing on the near and the far. That isn't really necessary, you probably could just use a part of the front standard itself to measure with but the pointer was simple to cut and tape.

    I did the same thing with two 8x10 Deardorffs, an Agfa Ansco 5x7 camera, and two Linhof Technikas. Technikas are ideally suited for this because you can put the measuring tape inside a distance scale and use the guide that's already on the camera as the thing to measure with.

    I'm not sure how ic-racer's system works. The difference between say an aperture of f16 and an aperture of say f45 may be only a few millimeters of distance between the near and far focus points. I wouldn't think he could eyeball that accurately but if it works for him it works for him. For me, I'd prefer to be more precise and you can find some place on almost any camera to attach part of a mm ruler where some moving part on the front (or rear, if you focus with the rear) standard can be used as a pointer.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  7. #7
    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Re: Wista 45 DX ruler markings on front standard/rail? How to best design and apply?

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Ellis View Post
    I'm not sure how ic-racer's system works. The difference between say an aperture of f16 and an aperture of say f45 may be only a few millimeters of distance between the near and far focus points. I wouldn't think he could eyeball that accurately but if it works for him it works for him. For me, I'd prefer to be more precise and you can find some place on almost any camera to attach part of a mm ruler where some moving part on the front (or rear, if you focus with the rear) standard can be used as a pointer.
    Yes you are right, OP has a 4x5, the distances will be shorter, as you pointed out. Like 10mm for f64 and 6mm for f45 vs 2mm for f22.

  8. #8

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    Re: Wista 45 DX ruler markings on front standard/rail? How to best design and apply?

    Here is the solution I come up with. I measure the protruding extension bed distance. No markings =P

  9. #9
    Milton Tierney's Avatar
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    Re: Wista 45 DX ruler markings on front standard/rail? How to best design and apply?

    If you want to apply a ruler to your flat bed, try a self-sticking ruler; http://woodhaven.com/search.htm?keyw...adhesive+rules

  10. #10

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    Re: Wista 45 DX ruler markings on front standard/rail? How to best design and apply?

    For a ruler on my Wista DX I simply made a millimeter scale on a long strip of self-adhesive label. This sticks to the stationary part of the camera bed and is about 6-7 inches long IIRC (that camera is in another country right now). Mine is made by hand, but I'm sure you can find a scale to print as a pdf file onto an appropriate self-adhesive label and then cut it to fit the rail of your camera.

    I simply use one of the etched lines in the brass lens rail to align with this to measure focus spread. No extra measuring devices needed. Easy as pie.

    Edit: The rulers Milton linked to above look really nice!

    Best,

    Doremus Scudder

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